Pregnant Winona Woman Gets Five Years For Drug, Neglect Charges
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Amanda Bridgman-abridgman@timesuniononline.com
A Winona Lake woman about to give birth was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday for drug and neglect charges.
Cara Grace Vuittonet, 31, of 1202 Wooster Road, lot 69, Winona Lake, appeared in front of Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Mike Reed Wednesday and was handed two years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for an enhanced possession of methamphetamine Level 5 felony conviction; two years in IDOC for a Level 5 felony neglect of a dependent conviction; and one year in IDOC for a Level 6 felony conviction for maintaining a common nuisance. Reed agreed to refer Vuittonet for participation in IDOC’s Recovery While Incarcerated program, which, upon successful completion, could potentially modify her sentence.
Vuittonet was only sent to prison because she failed to abide by the terms of her initial drug court program agreement. She was terminated from the program Jan. 20, according to court records. Reed was bound by the terms of the program’s agreement with the sentence.
Scott Royce, Vuittonet’s public defender, asked Reed to possibly reconsider sending her to prison and said his client now lives with her father in a stable home, has job prospects lined up and that she is 37 weeks pregnant.
“I’m so sorry for all this. I just want this to be over. I don’t want to not be able to raise my daughter,” Vuittonet told the judge, sobbing.
Reed, who is the judge of Kosciusko County’s drug court, said, “I wish it would’ve worked out, too, Ms. Vuittonet, but our actions have consequences.”
He also told her to stop talking about it, and do it. Reed said hopefully she can get transferred to DOC custody soon, so she can have the baby in Indianapolis, where she’ll get to spend some time with the baby after it’s born, because if she has it in Kosciusko County, it would be much worse.
According to the probable cause affidavit, in February officers with the Narcotics Enforcement Team 43 received a tip that marijuana and methamphetamine use was occurring at Vuittonet’s residence.
On Feb. 27, police spoke with a Kosciusko County Department of Child Services worker who reported they have received numerous drug complaints about the residence and had recently been to the home twice.
In December 2018, DCS workers went to the home to do a health evaluation on the children of Vuittonet and Keith Vuittonet, court papers state. Police ended up speaking with Keith and Keshia Hurd, who also lives in the residence, and they allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana but said they keep it out of the reach of the children, locked in the back bedroom. During that visit, a person told the DCS worker they have seen burnt pieces of aluminum foil.
DCS workers again went to the residence Feb. 22 to investigate another drug complaint. Keith, Cara and Hurd all admitted to smoking marijuana, court papers state, but said it was in the back bedroom and out of reach. The trio also allegedly denied DCS’ request to search the home and refused to take drug tests.
On March 19, a NET43 officer located a used syringe hidden in a tree stump approximately 100 yards behind the home, the affidavit states. More tips came in on March 20, according to police reports, and on the 20th.
On March 21, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and upon knocking and announcing who they were, they reportedly could hear people shuffling around inside and a toilet flushing, court papers state. Police forced entry into the home and found two children too young to be in school in the living room. The first and second children were in school. Officers searched the bathroom and found numerous plastic bags in the toilet and in the bathroom that tested positive for meth, court papers state. Cara then admitted to police she was hiding meth.
Keith allegedly admitted to police that he has a meth dealer who comes to the house, delivers the meth and then he would deal it to Cara, Hurd and other subjects who would come to the home, while children were present.
During this search, Hurd pulled up in the driveway, according to court papers, and admitted to police she has marijuana and paraphernalia in her car. However, when a K9 sniffed the car, methamphetamine was found hidden in a baby wipes container.
Keith is facing charges of dealing in methamphetamine, a Level 2 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony; neglect of a dependent, a Level 5 felony; and maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 5 felony. A two-day jury trial is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. June 2, according to court records.
Hurd is facing Level 5 felony charges of possession of methamphetamine and neglect of a dependent; and a Level 6 felony charge for maintaining a common nuisance. Court papers state that Cara and Keith have four children together, and Hurd and Keith have one child together. Hurd has a pretrial conference scheduled for 3 p.m. March 2, and court records indicate she has been approved to participate in Kosciusko County Community Corrections, if sentenced that way.
